To my eye, a gathered ruffle is not the look I associate with Standard gowns.

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Depends on the gather/ruffle size. I love these, with both fishing line and narrow ruffle. A useful way to add volume, especially when you are in country where NOBODY stocks horsehair crinoline:http://silviadesign.eu/look-at-me/

Yeah, I find her designs really inspiring Had to buy a ruffle foot to try things out. I made a 2 circle practice skirt in a hot pink satin with black chiffon overlay, and then edged both layers with a 25mm black organza ribbon at max ruffle (3x). It's great!! I am just now playing with my new overlocker (serger) learning how to do the fishing line part......

Yeah, I find her designs really inspiring Had to buy a ruffle foot to try things out. I made a 2 circle practice skirt in a hot pink satin with black chiffon overlay, and then edged both layers with a 25mm black organza ribbon at max ruffle (3x). It's great!! I am just now playing with my new overlocker (serger) learning how to do the fishing line part......

I am just now playing with my new overlocker (serger) learning how to do the fishing line part......

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I've considered purchasing or at least borrowing a serger for the fishing line hem. It is possible with an ordinary zigzag stitch on a sewing machine but after the first few yards becomes brain numbing back aching labor.

I've considered purchasing or at least borrowing a serger for the fishing line hem. It is possible with an ordinary zigzag stitch on a sewing machine but after the first few yards becomes brain numbing back aching labor.

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If it is an option for you, I would get a serger. I wish I'd got one years ago, rather than making do! The finish looks so much more professional, and the rolled hems are so easy. I have wound up in a few sticky spots that have tried my patience, but just like when I got my ruffler foot, I eventually figured things out

So if I am going to do organza underskirts with horsehair trim, then do chiffon as top layer, would you suggest a double circle for the chiffon or single? Or 1 and half? What about the hem. Would horsehair take away the floaty aspect of the chiffon, like weigh it down? Would a rolled hem be better?

My latest dress project is 4 godets, with each as a half circle, to complete 2 circles. @ layers of organza underneath and 1 of chiffon on top. I also included a base layer of satin to just below crotch level in case the skirts were see through, as it is for my niece who is only 15. It has fishing line in the hem, and will have a tulle frill around the top layer, and wrist floats in the same colour of the frill.I found it was possible to get the 4 lengths from 4 meters of fabric, with one join. The half circles straight edge runs along the selvage, which is great while you are working with unseamed organza! It gets trimmed off as it is serged. The organza draped on the dress doesn't stay, it was just to see if that colour of floats would balance the frill!

My latest dress project is 4 godets, with each as a half circle, to complete 2 circles. @ layers of organza underneath and 1 of chiffon on top. I also included a base layer of satin to just below crotch level in case the skirts were see through, as it is for my niece who is only 15. It has fishing line in the hem, and will have a tulle frill around the top layer, and wrist floats in the same colour of the frill.I found it was possible to get the 4 lengths from 4 meters of fabric, with one join. The half circles straight edge runs along the selvage, which is great while you are working with unseamed organza! It gets trimmed off as it is serged. The organza draped on the dress doesn't stay, it was just to see if that colour of floats would balance the frill!
View attachment 3430View attachment 3431

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Can you explain how you made those pretty wrist floats? Are they spiral cut with fishing wire edge?

As opposed to the threads I have sworn off of, I love this thread, even though I cannot sew at all and I don't dance standard!! It's like reading something in a foreign language that you only kind of sort of understand. I am awed by the design talent and sewing skills you guys display!

Can you explain how you made those pretty wrist floats? Are they spiral cut with fishing wire edge?

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Aren't they awesome! I had scraps left from the skirt, so it is basically a () shape but with pointed ends. The important part is that they are CUT ON THE BIAS AND STRETCHED AS YOU SEW. That causes the lettuce leaf edge if you don't add the fishing line, or the twisty spirally thing if you do and here it is with the pearls added and the beginning of the belt:
I figured out a great way to do the belt (or necklaces) - find or draw your pattern, and print it on paper. Punch holes slightly bigger than your stones through the paper (I used one of those really cool Japanese screw punches to make the holes, you can make more than one pattern at a time then) Clip the paper to your project, and add the stones through the holes!! I find little bits of paper get stuck under the stones but they seem to rip out OK. Really fast, accurate way of duplicating your pattern even if it is complex

Would love to see a photo of that [Practice skirt with ruffle] if you have one.

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Sorry, I missed this. Here it is. I found buying chiffon ribbon on a 100m roll and suspending it via a skewer or knitting needle in a box, so that it runs smoothly was the way to go. That ruffler sure eats up the ribbon at speed

Sorry, I missed this. Here it is. I found buying chiffon ribbon on a 100m roll and suspending it via a skewer or knitting needle in a box, so that it runs smoothly was the way to go. That ruffler sure eats up the ribbon at speedView attachment 3438View attachment 3439

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I did a similar thing with rolls of organza making a can can dress. I don't have a ruffler foot so I sewed straight stitch with highest tension. Gathered it just right.